The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-07-17
NEARLY 5000 BARRIERS
a LEAGUE THAT HAS HAD a LARG1
GROWTH IN A SHORT TIME

How tho Barbers' Protective Uu,en Came
to he Orrasisea-Tho Good 10 Mss Dens-
| What Bnrbers Earn-Rusy sumuaer
One OF the newest and most successful d
trades unions, considering tho short time since
| 1t has been organized Is the Journeymen Bar.
bers' Protective Union. 1t was organized IN
Central Labor Union Hall on Jan. II, 1885.
with tho election Of Edward Finkelstono, 4
handsome young Harlem barber, as President
ana Louis Schramm. Secretary. 1t started with
ITO members and has grown to $500. though
almost half Of these arc not up with their
dues. There are between 10000 and 110O0
BARRIERS in New York, including the Italians In
the choap flve-cent shops. There arc 2,500
shops. At the time the union was organized
, the hours in these shops were what the bosses
chose to make them. Some shops were open
| all day Sunday, until midnight on Saturday.
| and 10 O'Clock on other days, while there were
| lot OF employment brokers who exacted
bonus from both the employers and the men.
The union began by cutting the hours OF
| labor from 100 week to o:Shty-two. A union
shop is open from O'Clock in the morning un.
| til 8 O'Clock at night, with an hour OF for din.
nor, until 10 o'clock on Saturdays. and It closes
at o'clock on Sunday. There were several
strikes before tho union succeeded in having
the hours reduced. but now In almost all tho
t-class shops the BARRIERS work only eighty
| two hours week.
Nothing has been done yet in trying to 90.
cure more pay the policy OF the union boina
first to reduce the hours Of labor and tn fix tar
as s the eth prize s Il sh"Ss a
tenement house neighborSoods compete WITH
have bssn recsny into the anon
al Join the Italian Shhe ,hp sh ips WI %
shop that EMPLOYS union men is supplied With
sed sbs 1n sTe
With the ie enoeption Of the Windsor the bar
her shops Of the big hotels are union shops
tive and long hours mqst be kept to prevent
Wit With Che Rights u of Labor local
Rnssts Of 81 tRs
citation. The union claims that the Hancock
%Ss UNION
Summer E the best tine Of the year foE bar:
simmer sunni G hotels Saye their own barber shSps
while none Of the city barber shops close. Tht
pna " barber @ % though In the Win.
ter the city shops are NOT increased proportion.
week ss n %ish board oar ps q va
week. 1 though the price In the Ssst shops g
same s RSsds Soa ses e., ss
in GOOD 20 shop and don't
I'M
h9 the %nsR Sh sas Sos
aotH IN ot1 and the
posted It sim rd EsS no ~
sub1d ID c which have their own orssniss.
tion and take charge Of the shops and rates
II The csnla Union Ss
whole OF the first floor Of ADJ Second avenue
1T 9S ss asEsa Ina Sfs
street. Their quarters are pleasant. and In ire
Is Sc
in other cities, but the organization Of the bar.
Is eS a.
they haze as yet tesm fsat n9 tbare Eli be "a
other eities arc on their feet,
MesE the dnes ae paid
eight weeks, the derelict member e suspended.
hs s i ss sfs Do sf
Ssb 4 u os sss So %ssss
the he ts ss q
WEEK sSfs fo aFs %s assf 9s
jas week. and the Secretary $40. There Is a
The greatest benefit the union has done the
| men besides reducing the hours Of work has
| been to provide them employment free Of
charge Formerly this was vas done Ry employ.
ers." barber who wanted Job would g. to
/ Job in the summer, when jobs were plenty and
men were scarce. he had to pay 81 or ~, while
tor. when there were fewer Jobs. the vacanctel
were auctioned OF by the broker TO the men.and
the man who would nay the highest bonus got
the job. The employers also had to pay. Sons
Of the employment men would chance 2 work
from him and the employers. Places have beea
secured for 1000 men since the union organ-
ized, q little over q year ago and all the DO.
muses. have been ssveo to both men and en-.
ployers.
President Ed Finkelstone Is young German
about IS years old whose pictures look like
dude barber: He Is bright, energetic. and tool
a prominent part in the organization OF tina
rick rick j. Haybnrne was born In Dublin. and.
though only Al years old has been barber f9I
thirty eight. He rose with the Fentans In 1867,
and. by direction Of the first special Commits.
sion, he served two years and nine months In
Mount Joy prison for It. On being released be
was sent to this country, and has worked In
hotel barber shops since.